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Posted: 4/14/2011 10:47:41 AM EDT
We have hardwood floors in about 550 SQ FT of our house. The bad news is that we pulled carpet up that was covering them a couple years ago when we bought the place and the wood looks terrible. They need a complete sand/refinish job done on them.
Anyways, the wife unit says it is time to make it look nicer. Should we redo the hardwood or lay laminate? What would the cost comparison be for each? FYI, we have a Golden Ret that lives in the house with us. Thanks for any replies 
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Posted: 4/14/2011 10:52:34 AM EDT
IIRC laminate for one room cost us about $1,300.00 installed. That was tearing up the existing parquet floor and subflooring. Replacing the subfloor, installing the laminate and new baseboards. We went with italian manufactured baseboards and laminate instead of chinese made out of principle, which increased costs by a couple hunder bucks. 18-months later it still looks brand new.
Not trying to steer you one way or another. Just offering an example of what it might cost. |
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Posted: 4/14/2011 10:55:54 AM EDT
I have a price quote from a local handyman that has done a lot of work for me...
He is going to charge $900 to lay laminate in the entire area and most of the good flooring I have looked at is in the neighborhood of $2-3/sq ft. I don't have any idea what it would cost to redo the wood as this is a recent idea of mine to try to save money for guns/ammo all while making the wife unit happy 
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Posted: 4/14/2011 10:57:20 AM EDT
I like laminate, much each easier to keep looking nice.
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Posted: 4/14/2011 10:59:30 AM EDT
I'm not an expert, but I've repaired/refinished hardwood floors...
It's a project that you can easily DIY. I don't know why you wouldn't, since you already have something perfectly good and worth more than your alternate plan. |
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Posted: 4/14/2011 11:00:25 AM EDT
Sand / refinish around 3850.
Install new laminate around 1100. Laminate sucks. Mostly people that don't have the dough get laminate. ("oh look at my new hardwood floors"  )
(if you do get laminate go with dupont or pergo prestige) It is pretty scratch resistant, but once it is scratched it is always scratched. Unlike hardwood, a quick oil rub and POW good as new. Or if it is really fucked, just refinish it. Once laminate gets water in the bevel, it is ruined. If you have a large dog, get laminate. If you have a small dog/cat hardwood is good. |
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Posted: 4/14/2011 11:01:59 AM EDT
Quoted: I'm not an expert, but I've repaired/refinished hardwood floors... It's a project that you can easily DIY. I don't know why you wouldn't, since you already have something perfectly good and worth more than your alternate plan. Ding, ding, ding, Winner! Just refinish, it's easy, fairly cheap, and the floors will look better than the laminate. There's really no downside here. |
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Posted: 4/14/2011 11:03:25 AM EDT
Pergo in particular is usually very slippery for the first few years. By slippery, I mean in sock feet it's like a sheet of ice. Walking on Pergo is very tough on dogs, the slipping and sliding can be very stressful on their systems. Same can be true for ultra high gloss hardwood floors, but Pergo stays slippery for much longer in my experience.
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Posted: 4/14/2011 11:03:50 AM EDT
Quoted:
I'm not an expert, but I've repaired/refinished hardwood floors... It's a project that you can easily DIY. I don't know why you wouldn't, since you already have something perfectly good and worth more than your alternate plan. He is right... The tools to do a good dustless job cost 5k+ Or you can rent em all for a few hundred. Ask any of your friends if they know how, if they do just rent, redo. You will save a ton. If you pay a installer to do it, you are going to be giving him around 2+k for a day of work. (you will be pretty mad when you see how easy it is.) Or you can read and DIY. |
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Posted: 4/14/2011 11:06:19 AM EDT
I tried the pergo in my entry hall. Way to slippery when wet. I went back to hardwood floors.
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Posted: 4/14/2011 11:11:28 AM EDT
Quoted: Quoted: I'm not an expert, but I've repaired/refinished hardwood floors... It's a project that you can easily DIY. I don't know why you wouldn't, since you already have something perfectly good and worth more than your alternate plan. He is right... The tools to do a good dustless job cost 5k+ Or you can rent em all for a few hundred. Ask any of your friend if they know how, if they do just rent, and redo. You will save a ton. If you pay a installer to do it, you are going to be giving him around 2+k for a day of work. Or you can read and DIY. I don't think it cost me very much to rent the sander at all. Plus these days you don't even need to read, theres all sorts of videos. It's just wood. It's not difficult at all.  |
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Posted: 4/14/2011 11:11:33 AM EDT
Quoted:
Sand / refinish around 3850. Install new laminate around 1100. Laminate sucks. Mostly people that don't have the dough get laminate. ("oh look at my new hardwood floors" )
(if you do get laminate go with dupont or pergo prestige) It is pretty scratch resistant, but one it is scratched it is always scratched. Unlike hardwood, a quick oil rub and POW good as new. Or if it is really fucked, just refinish it. Once laminate gets water in the bevel, it is ruined. If you have a large dog, get laminate. If you have a small dog/cat hardwood is good. 3850? I assume that means paying to have it done? Shouldn't cost more than a few hundred bucks to rent a sander and buy the supplies. I won't lie. It's a sucky job but it isn't rocket surgery. The wife and I ripped up all the carpet in our old house and redid the floors. I think we were out 700 bucks for 2 bedrooms and a living room. It took us 3 or 4 days of pretty steady work. I hate laminate. Water warps that shit pretty bad in my experience. |
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Posted: 4/14/2011 11:12:27 AM EDT
I laid Laminate (Very nice laminate) in my new house after I tore up the carpet(slab) If I already had the real hardwood in the house, I would DEFINITELY refinish it.
I grew up in an old Midtown house ....Memphis...guess you don't know about the midtown part, I'm just used to saying it....folks here know  We had real hardwood and we refinished it and it was AMAZING! Pics of floor maybe?
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Posted: 4/14/2011 11:13:36 AM EDT
Quoted:
Quoted:
Sand / refinish around 3850. Install new laminate around 1100. Laminate sucks. Mostly people that don't have the dough get laminate. ("oh look at my new hardwood floors" )
(if you do get laminate go with dupont or pergo prestige) It is pretty scratch resistant, but one it is scratched it is always scratched. Unlike hardwood, a quick oil rub and POW good as new. Or if it is really fucked, just refinish it. Once laminate gets water in the bevel, it is ruined. If you have a large dog, get laminate. If you have a small dog/cat hardwood is good. 3850? I assume that means paying to have it done? Shouldn't cost more than a few hundred bucks to rent a sander and buy the supplies. I won't lie. It's a sucky job but it isn't rocket surgery. The wife and I ripped up all the carpet in our old house and redid the floors. I think we were out 700 bucks for 2 bedrooms and a living room. It took us 3 or 4 days of pretty steady work. I hate laminate. Water warps that shit pretty bad in my experience. 3850, for it to be done by a pro. To DIY around 500$. |
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Posted: 4/14/2011 11:21:37 AM EDT
Big drum sander with 60 or 80 grit for the open areas - RENTAL
Side angle sander for the sides and corners the drum sander you can't get with the drum sander - RENTAL Polyurethane Pan Roller Profit! |
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Posted: 4/15/2011 8:29:51 AM EDT
Thanks a lot for the replies, guys.
I really wanna just redo the hardwood. I think it would look better and be cheaper. I just don't really have time for DIY projects working two jobs and all...I will call around and get some prices and hopefully not get hammered too hard. |
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Posted: 4/15/2011 8:31:36 AM EDT
Quoted: I'm not an expert, but I've repaired/refinished hardwood floors... It's a project that you can easily DIY. I don't know why you wouldn't, since you already have something perfectly good and worth more than your alternate plan. Yes...our house was built in the 1940's, and we are in the process of refinishing the solid oak flooring. Refinishing the real wood is waaaaaaaaaaaayyyy better for resale value than laminate. |
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Posted: 4/15/2011 8:42:26 AM EDT
Quoted: Quoted: I'm not an expert, but I've repaired/refinished hardwood floors... It's a project that you can easily DIY. I don't know why you wouldn't, since you already have something perfectly good and worth more than your alternate plan. Yes...our house was built in the 1940's, and we are in the process of refinishing the solid oak flooring. Refinishing the real wood is waaaaaaaaaaaayyyy better for resale value than laminate. Impressions. If you cheaped out on the floor, what else did you cheap out on? |
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Posted: 4/15/2011 11:42:46 AM EDT
bump
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Posted: 4/15/2011 11:50:14 AM EDT
Another option would be locking hardwood(verneer). Close to the looks and feel of real hardwood, and priced somewhere in-between laminate and T&G hardwoods.
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Posted: 4/15/2011 11:54:28 AM EDT
refinish the floor.. I need to go find pics of what i did my self.. Ill be right back
Will need to upload... be back in a while... |
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Posted: 4/15/2011 11:54:47 AM EDT
Quoted:
Sand / refinish around 3850. Install new laminate around 1100. Laminate sucks. Mostly people that don't have the dough get laminate. ("oh look at my new hardwood floors" )
(if you do get laminate go with dupont or pergo prestige) It is pretty scratch resistant, but once it is scratched it is always scratched. Unlike hardwood, a quick oil rub and POW good as new. Or if it is really fucked, just refinish it. Once laminate gets water in the bevel, it is ruined. If you have a large dog, get laminate. If you have a small dog/cat hardwood is good. I was just coming in to post this. Laminate doesn't get screwed up by dog claws. |
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Posted: 4/15/2011 12:04:42 PM EDT
Engineered hardwood is a good in between option, but it still has the finish that will get scratched (alum. oxide or whatever the manufacturer uses) . Compared to $14 solid hardwood, I paid $5/sq ft for my Ipe solid engineered that is refinishable. I have two boxers, and while my 7 year old doesn't scratch the floors, the puppy has needle like nails that do scratch the finish (not in to the actual wood, but it looks the same).
Being that you already have hardwood, refinish it, and in 5-10 years, refinish it again. I can't stand the thought of ripping up hardwood floor to put a laminate down.  The scratches will add character.
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Posted: 4/15/2011 12:07:41 PM EDT
Walking on laminate just "feels" different than walking on wood.
If you don't mind, go laminate. I hate that feeling so, I'm stuck with wood for the rest of my days.
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Posted: 4/15/2011 12:13:08 PM EDT
Re-do the wood. My In laws had a small room re-done for $400 or so. Much nicer than laminate.
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Posted: 4/15/2011 12:24:53 PM EDT
This was from some water damage. Did it all with some help from a buddy. We are not carpenters. Saved a ton of money. and it came out great along with a great sense of satisfaction.
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Posted: 4/15/2011 12:28:03 PM EDT
it comes down to cost...
Laminate is quit easy to install and is going to be impervious to your dog. same with hardwood with a few coats... Laminate you could do yourself, just let the flooring get acclimated in your home for afew days before you install it. |
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Posted: 4/15/2011 12:34:27 PM EDT
Quoted:
it comes down to cost... Laminate is quit easy to install and is going to be impervious to your dog. same with hardwood with a few coats... Laminate you could do yourself, just let the flooring get acclimated in your home for afew days before you install it. you can do hardwood your self too.. Its not hard.. |
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Posted: 4/15/2011 12:46:45 PM EDT
We put down laminate throughout the entire house when we built (it's what we could afford) and I'm not happy with the product.
It's a Mohawk laminate. Not holding up as well as we'd hoped. |
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Posted: 4/29/2011 9:11:32 AM EDT
I'm still torn...
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Posted: 4/29/2011 9:15:33 AM EDT
Bamboo? There's some good-looking stuff out there.
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Posted: 4/29/2011 9:41:05 AM EDT
redo the hard wood floor!!! its really not hard at all.
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Posted: 4/29/2011 9:45:47 AM EDT
If you have hardwood; refinish it. Call your local flooring store and see how much they'd charge to refinish it at least.
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Posted: 4/29/2011 10:00:16 AM EDT
If you have the wood thickness I'd refinish what you have. I rented a drum and edger sander and bought Bona Mega for a finish. Been happy with it so far, I skimped a little on the finish, I needed like 1.1 gallons, but didn't want to pay for a second jug just to have it go to waste. I could have laid it on thicker and not had to worry so much about my overlap. still looks great tho for 90 yr old maple.
Upstairs I did laminate, took the old man and I about 6 hours to install in a 10x15ft room with a 3x6 closet. I wouldn't pay to have someone do laminate, it's just too easy to do yourself. |
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Posted: 4/29/2011 10:59:28 AM EDT
Having done 1800 sq feet of hardwood floors here a couple of things I learned: Do strip it first, it's a pain it smells but sanding will be a breeze if you strip it all first. Do not use a drum sander find an oscillating sander the one I used was square so I was able to get the edges and corners quite easily. Go easy on the stain it will dry darker than you think. When you put the top coats of poly on, make sure you mix it thoroughly and then mix it again just in case. |
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Posted: 4/29/2011 11:54:31 AM EDT
Refurb
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